The study examined the efficiency of resource use in soybean production in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to identify and describe the socio economic characteristics of soybean farmers and to determine resource allocation among soybean farmers. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 120 respondents. Data collected were subjected to Descriptive statistics and production function analysis. The result revealed that 93.3% of the farmers had one form of formal education, or the other with over 65% cultivating between 1-4 hectares. Also, 87.5% of the farmers were in their active age, and 81.7% utilized their personal saving as a major source of finance for production. The result of the production function analysis indicated that 87.21% of the variation in the output of soybean is explained for by the independent variables. Resource-use efficiency revealed that quantity of seed, farm size, herbicide and inorganic fertilizer were underutilized while labour was over utilized. Provision of adequate and timely farming inputs, making loans accessible to farmers and reasonable market price of soybean are essential to boost production.

The study aimed at conducting a comparative profitability analysis of selected rainfed and irrigated food crops in Adamawa state, Nigeria. Two hundred and ten (210) (with 105 each from rainfed and irrigated) farmers growing rice, maize, tomato and pepper were randomly sampled for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons respectively. The analytical tools used to achieve the objectives of study include descriptive statistics, profit function and farm budgeting techniques. Results revealed that 54.29 % of the farmers under rainfed and 69.02 % under irrigation were in their productive years of 31-50 years. Also 74.28 % and 53.33 % of the farmers attended one level of formal education or the other. Similarly 58 % of rain fed and 78.11 % of irrigated farmers cultivated less than 2 hectares of land while 92.38 % and 89.48 % had more than 10 years farming experience. The results of farm budgeting analysis revealed an average gross margin of N45,448,63, N41,396.84, N40,224.81 and N46,340.48 per hectare for rice, maize, tomato and pepper respectively under rainfed production. While under irrigated farms an average gross margin of N53, 904.68, N43,409.65, N66,520.78 and N66,681.99 per hectare were obtained for the four crops respectively. Furthermore the results of the profit function analysis under rainfed condition shows that labour was significant at 1% level and inversely related with profit. However, farm size, seed, and fertilizer were positively related to profit and significant at 1%. Similarly under irrigated condition labour was significant and inversely related to the profit. Land, fertilizer and agrochemicals were significant at varying levels and positively related to profit. The study therefore recommends that more financial assistance in the form of credit should be given to farmers so as to expand their production. Also, a minimum guaranty price of the farm produce should be enforced.

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